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Appendix/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby Tim is in his bed. He is wearing pajamas and holding his stomach in pain. TIM: Aw, man. I ate way too much pizza. Moby walks up to him and holds out a scalpel. MOBY: Beep. Tim recoils. TIM: Aaah! No, I think an antacid will do just fine. Moby continues to hold out the scalpel, staring at Tim. TIM: Just what do you think you're going to do with that scalpel? Tim reads from a typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, my sister's getting her appendix out. What is the appendix, and what does it do? From, Red. The appendix is a small tube attached to the large intestine. The large intestine is part of the digestive system, the set of organs that takes nutrients from food and gets rid of waste. An image shows the human digestive system and the location of the appendix at the bottom of the large intestine. TIM: Inside the large intestine, water is removed from digested food, leaving behind solid waste material, or feces. An animation illustrates what Tim describes. Moby giggles. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yes, that's another word for it. And in case you were wondering, an organ is a set of tissues that are joined together to perform a common function. Your heart, your lungs, and your liver are all organs. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, the appendix is a dead end. It doesn't lead to anything. An image shows the small intestine, large intestine, cecum, and appendix. TIM: It just sort of dangles off the part of the large intestine called the cecum. That's where the small intestine empties into the large intestine. A piece of solid waste makes its way through the intestinal system. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, the appendix plays a small part in the immune system, but it's not a necessary organ. In fact, most doctors agree it's probably vestigial. An animation shows a large appendix shrinking to a smaller size. TIM: That means it's lost most or all of its use through evolution. But even though it has no vital function, the appendix can cause serious problems. The shrunken appendix turns red and begins to throb. TIM: In some cases, it can get infected and cause a condition called appendicitis. Besides being extremely painful, appendicitis is dangerous. If left untreated, the affected appendix can burst, leaking harmful bacteria into the rest of your body. That's called peritonitis, and it can lead to organ failure and even death. The appendix swells and bursts open and bacteria escape. TIM: That's why doctors will usually operate as soon as they know it's appendicitis. The operation is called an appendectomy. It involves the surgical removal of the infected tissue. An image shows a surgeon working in an operating room. TIM: Back in the day, it would leave a small scar on the lower right side of your abdomen. But today, most appendectomies are laproscopic, or performed through incisions less than two centimeters wide. An image shows a young woman examining a scar on her lower stomach. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Appendicitis is most common in people between the ages of 10 and 30, but that's no reason to panic every time you get a stomachache. It's true that vomiting and loss of appetite are the main symptoms of appendicitis. But the pain from appendicitis starts in the middle of your abdomen and then moves down and to the right, the opposite of your stomach. An image shows a silhouette of a body. A red circle indicates the location of appendicitis pain. TIM: It's often accompanied by diarrhea or constipation, a low fever, and nausea. It's no simple stomachache. Images show a roll of toilet paper, a toilet, a thermometer, and the face of a nauseated person. MOBY: Beep. TIM: How to prevent it? Um, most cases are caused by a blockage in the appendix, which cuts off blood flow, leading to an infection. So there's nothing much you can do to actually prevent that. An image shows a blockage in the appendix. TIM: But remember, appendicitis is fairly common: 7 percent of all people will develop it in their lifetimes. And an appendectomy is fairly safe as operations go. An image shows a group of well-dressed young adults. MOBY: Beep. TIM: No, I still don't want you operating on me. Moby blindfolds himself. MOBY: Beep. He turns to Tim and holds up the scalpel. TIM: I don't see how that's supposed to make me feel better about it. Category:BrainPOP Transcripts